The present invention relates to an auxiliary device for a ZIF (zero insertion force) electrical connector, and particularly to an auxiliary device having a flat surface for being engaged by a vacuum nozzle, and having a standoff portion for preventing solder wicking during a soldering process of the connector to a printed circuit board (PCB).
Related conventional electrical connectors are disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 81214436; 83203222; 82208450 and 82214129, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,031. Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional ZIF electrical connector 6 comprises a base 61 and a cover 62. A plurality of passageways 611 is formed in the base 61 for receiving corresponding contacts 63 therein. A plurality of receiving holes 621 is formed in the cover 62 corresponding to the passageways 611 for receiving terminals of a CPU module (not shown). A cam device 64 is formed between the base 61 and the cover 62 for moving the cover 62 relative to the base 61 whereby the terminals of the CPU module are freely located at withdrawal/insertion positions by the cam device 64. However, a plurality of holes is formed in the top surface of the cover 62, thus the cover 62 is not suitable for automated production since a vacuum nozzle cannot properly attach to the cover 62 during a soldering process. Furthermore, since the conventional ZIF electrical connector is soldered to a circuit board through a SMT (surface mounting technology) process, solder wicking often occurs, which may adversely affect signal transmission.
Thus, there is a need for an auxiliary device for a ZIF electrical connector which can prevent solder wicking during a soldering process of the ZIF connector to a PCB, and which can help the ZIF connector to be soldered to the PCB by an automated soldering process.